Patience is the Sure way to Victory

Once, the great Maratha King Shivaji found himself lost while traveling from one fort to another. Standing atop a hill, he scanned the surroundings but couldn't spot any nearby villages. Night was falling quickly, and he needed help.

As he descended the hill, he noticed a faint glimmer of light in the distance. Following that light, he soon arrived at a humble hut.

Inside the hut, an elderly woman welcomed him, assuming he was a soldier from Shivaji's army. Recognizing his fatigue and hunger, she offered him warm water to wash up and provided a mat to rest on. After some much-needed rest, she placed a plate of hot rice and cooked vegetables before him.

Shivaji was so ravenous that he hastily plunged his hand into the rice to grab a large mouthful. The scalding food burnt his fingers, and he instinctively pulled back, spilling some food on the floor.

Observing this, the old woman couldn't help but remark, "Ah, you appear to be as impatient and hasty as your master, Shivaji. That's why you burnt your fingers and lost some food."

Amused and intrigued, Shivaji inquired, "Why do you think my master Shivaji is impatient and hasty?"

The old woman began to explain, "You see, my dear son, Sivaji is bypassing the smaller forts of his enemy and aiming only for the larger ones. Just as your impatience to eat led to burnt fingers and spilled food, Sivaji's haste to defeat the enemy is causing him worry and resulting in the loss of many brave soldiers from his army.

"You should have started with the cooler food at the edge of the plate before reaching the food in the center. Similarly, Sivaji should have begun by capturing the smaller forts first and consolidating his position. This strategy would enable him to conquer the larger forts quickly and with fewer casualties."

Shivaji quickly grasped the wisdom in the old woman's words. He realized the importance of avoiding haste in any endeavor.

This incident teaches us the virtue of patience. In our efforts to better ourselves, we should patiently take small, steady steps rather than rushing toward big goals. For instance, if someone usually wakes up at 8 AM but wishes to wake up earlier, instead of abruptly attempting to wake up at 6 AM, they should gradually adjust their waking time in increments, such as 15 minutes at a time.

Similarly, patience is crucial in one's spiritual progress. By taking small but consistent steps, we can ultimately reach our goals without experiencing setbacks or undue hardship.